Two accidents in Newtown cause I-84 headache

NEWTOWN -- Two crashes within 40 minutes tied up traffic on Interstate 84 during the morning rush Tuesday.

The first crash, at 8 a.m. near Exit 10 in the westbound lanes, involved three vehicles.
A 2005 Ford

Econoline
being driven by
Vincent Acampora
, 58, of East Haven and a 1996 Jeep Laredo being driven by
Robert Smith
, 48, of Waterbury, were slowing down due to heavy traffic.
Smith's Laredo was rear-ended by a 2002 Ford Mustang driven by
John Bonacci
, 20, of Sandy Hook. The force from the impact pushed the Laredo into the rear of the Econoline.
Smith complained of neck pain but declined medical treatment, police said. No other injuries were reported.
The second accident happened near Exit 11 in the westbound lanes about 36 minutes later, police said.
In that crash, a 2006 Hyundai Sonata driven by 60-year-old Diane Smith of Oxford was rear-ended by a vehicle being driven by

John Searles
, 36, of Prospect. The make and model of Searles' vehicle was not available. Searles told police his foot slipped off the brake.
No injuries were reported, but Searles was found at fault for following too close, police said.